In recent years, M2M services that enable devices connected to a network to exchange information with each other without a person and automatically execute the optimal control are widely used. In addition, cloud systems that provide M2M services are becoming widely adopted. For example, there is a system in which wireless communication terminals form an ad-hoc network and a cloud server collects information such as sensor values from the wireless communication terminals.
In order to suppress an introduction cost, a phone line or a third generation network is used. For example, the cloud server collects operating states and states of consumable supplies from remote devices on behalf of customers. Then, customer monitoring agents use mobile phones to access the cloud server and figure out the states of the devices.
Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2002-512829 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-169090 disclose related techniques.